Pac-12 rundown: This year's Apple Cup battle between Dawgs and Cougs is certainly no doorbuster

Running back Bishop Sankey is just one of the problems facing the Cougs' defense in Friday's Apple Cup game in PullmanAP photo

Pac-12 football links for Friday

The long never-ending nightmare for (some) wives continues with more foootball, football, football. Three Pac-12 games today: Utah at Colorado (1 p.m., FX) is a game that registers minus-10 on the college football richter scale. Arizona State is at Arizona (8 p.m., ESPN) in the battle of RichRod vs. the Travelin' Man and closer to home it's U-Dub at Washington State (12:30, FOX).

Bob Condotta writes about the Apple Cup in this morning's Seattle Times. Here's how Condotta - one of the hardest-working beat writers in the country - sees this year's matchup, which isn't a -10 on the CFB richter scale but it's not exactly being talked about on sports radio across the country.

The 2012 Apple Cup may not project as a classic matchup. There's no
Rose Bowl on the line — or, should we say in this new age of the Pac-12,
no division title at stake.

But in some ways, Friday's 12:30 p.m. game features the classic Apple
Cup setup — a Washington team on a roll, having already punched its
postseason ticket, against a losing Washington State team that can
greatly change the perception of a season that long since veered far off
course.

"It could turn around the season," said WSU safety Deone Bucannon. "It could shed some light on this grim season."

Indeed, it's been a much darker year than expected in Pullman, where
the Cougars (2-9) have lost eight in a row, all in conference play. It's
not what anyone expected in the first year under coach Mike Leach, who
came to WSU after having had 10 straight winning seasons at Texas Tech.
Many expected that streak would continue with the Cougars, lifting them
into the postseason.

Instead, WSU has spent much of the season embroiled in disappointment
and controversy. But wins over the Huskies go a long way toward healing
wounds in Pullman.

Stanford Cardinal - Mason takes Cardinal defense to new heights. More love for the Stanford D in the wake of the Oregon win ... the pick (by Wilner) is Stanford in the game that could sent the Cardinal to the Pac-12 title game